6106 Hi there the picture I have attached I found in the basement of my parents house in Canada, I live in Edmonton Alberta. I was wondering if these are Mahogany also known as paper wasps and if so how to go about finding the best and how to kill it. A picture is attached. Thanks. Jaimie

The three larger insects are wood wasps (Hymenoptera: Siricidae), likely in the genus Sirex; see https://tinyurl.com/y8rortn5 for some images. Commonly known as horntails, their larvae tunnel in the wood of dead or dying trees. Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.